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70
THE FUTURE OF THE METROPOLITAN ASYLUMS
BOARD.
At a meeting of the Managers in October, 1887, Dr. J. H.
Bridges, Poor Law Inspector, expressed his satisfaction that the
Board was "working in the direction of what he hoped it would
become, viz., the Hospital-providing Authority for all poor
people of London not paupers." His remarks were received with
an approval which must be taken to mark a further advance by
the Board in the direction of that goal to which I have for many
years urged the Managers to aspire. For it is not to be supposed
that Dr. Bridges was, in the above utterance, expressing his
merely personal views. He spoke, doubtless, under a sense of
official responsibility, and we may conclude that the Board which
he represents is no dissatisfied spectator of the process of evolution
by which the Asylums Board is being transformed into a
Central Authority, acting for the whole Metropolis, to provide
hospital accommodation for all classes in need of isolation. The
subject was not new, it having been carefully considered by the
Managers in February, 1877, when they took counsel with the
Sanitary Authorities and with the Medical Officers of Health.
Expressing "the belief that adequate provision for the isolation
and treatment of epidemic disease in the Metropolis" did not
then exist, the Managers arrived at the following conclusions:—
(а) “That such provision could be best made in a comprehensive and
systematic manner by one Central Authority acting for the whole Metropolis
not only for pauper patients, but for other classes desirous of Hospital
accommodation.
(b) "That such Central Authority should not be merely a Department of
Poor Law Administration, but should have the powers of the Sanitary Acts
conferred upon it.
(c) "That either the Board should be merged into such Central Authority
or should itself be that Authority, in which case its constitution should be
altered and adapted to its enlarged duties and responsibility."
A Conference of the Sanitary Authorities was held at the
Cannon Street Hotel, June 16th, 1878, at the invitation of the